Champagne is generally associated with feelings of euphoric excess and the special occasions that prompt them -- New Year's Eve celebrations, weddings, birthdays, promotions. Even if you're in the mood to splurge, a large crowd or a tight budget can prompt the pursuit of cheap Champagne. From France to Spain, Italy, and California, there's enough excellent bubbly to go around for $10 or less. The challenge lies in knowing what you're buying. We considered online reviews and ratings from a variety of sources and consulted a wine expert to come up with our top picks.

If you think cheap white wine is only for grandma's spritzer, think again. There's a white wine -- costing no more than $10 to satisfy almost anyone's palate. Inexpensive white wines can complement a range of foods, brighten up a lazy summer afternoon, and make an excellent substitute for pre-dinner cocktails. White wines typically present fruity and/or floral flavors and aromas, sometimes offer a bit of spice and earthiness, and range in sugar content from bone dry to dessert-level sweet. We've made top picks based on tastings, ratings, reviews, and awards, on top of expert advice, and suspect wine drinkers will find at least one selection to suit both their sipping preferences and their budget.

Who needs a premium red wine when a thoroughly respectable bottle costs $10 or less? Frugal quaffers who know even a little bit about wine and aren't afraid to go with what they like will find many such bottles. There are hundreds of cheap red wines out there -- some barely worth the few dollars you'd pay but many worth drinking. With so many styles, grape varieties, producers, and labels to choose among, shopping can be a challenge. To guide wine drinkers through the thicket, we've made top picks based on tastings, ratings, reviews, awards, and expert advice. We've also selected a wide array of other inexpensive red wines fit to serve with a meal, bring to a party, or sip over the course of a quiet evening.

TurboTax Review

The largest player in the industry, TurboTax is consistently rated one of the best in terms of usability. However, prices can skyrocket if you have a complicated tax situation. The Free File edition includes free federal and state filing but has an income limit of $31,000 ($60,000 for active military).

TurboTax All Free/Freedom Edition (Free File) Requirements

Adjusted gross income of $31,000 or less, or

$60,000 or less for active military, or

Eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit

Supports all common forms

Free state e-filing

TurboTax Federal Free Edition Requirements

Taxable income of $100,000 or less

Must file 1040A or 1040EZ

Must take standard deduction

TurboTax is the leader in the tax prep software industry, and for good reason. Its online products score high in nearly every category, and it's unusual to find an expert review that doesn't place TurboTax first in terms of quality. PC Mag commends the user interface, navigation, and top-level support but dings the cost of TurboTax Deluxe. Personal finance blog The Simple Dollar considers TurboTax products to be the most intuitive and reliable, an assessment generally shared by The Wirecutter, whose TurboTax review goes on to say that the interview-like format is akin to working with a paid tax preparer.

There are several editions of TurboTax, but the underlying software and features are the same. We focused on the two least expensive options: Free File and the Federal Free Edition.

The Federal Free Edition, open to anyone with taxable income less than $100,000, includes free federal e-filing and is backed with a 100 percent accuracy guarantee. Audit support, which provides access to a tax professional who can answer questions and tell you how to prepare and what to expect, is free. Audit Defense (an extra $39.99) provides an audit representative, but some reviews indicate it may not be worth it. Users who have tax or technical questions can turn to the online guides or chat support; a paid upgrade is required to speak with a tax professional on the phone. To use this free version, your return must be simple -- i.e., you will file a 1040A or 1040EZ. There is no opportunity to include itemized deductions or miscellaneous income. E-filing a state tax return cost $27.99 at the time of writing; up until Feb. 16, it was free (and the software was marketed as Absolute Zero).

The Free File version (alternately called TurboTax All Free and TurboTax Freedom Edition) is an option for households with adjusted gross income up to $31,000 or eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit. This tax prep package supports more complex tax situations, includes free state e-filing, and comes with the guarantees and support included in other versions. The strict requirements, however, limit its usability.

We read many user reviews that groan about filling out all the templates with the expectation that filing through the Federal Free Edition will be free, only to discover that extra charges apply. Of course, after doing all the work it's tempting to just pay and be done with it. A Turbo Tax review at Amazon from several years ago sums up users' dilemma: The product is excellent, but the pricing structure is suspect. Indeed, users have railed against TurboTax Deluxe (starting at $34.99, plus $36.99 for a state e-file*). Previously this package let filers include capital gains and other tax schedules, but that's no longer the case. To calm the waters, parent company Intuit has offered a $25 credit to some users who were caught off guard by the change.

While TurboTax isn't the cheapest tax software around, reviewers note that it sure beats paying a tax professional. But if your situation is a bit more complex, and you don't meet the Free File requirements, try a competitive product that supports more tax schedules and has a lower fee for state filing. Even if you live in a state without personal income tax, there are better, less expensive tax software products.

*Prices subject to change.

Louis DeNicola

Louis DeNicola is a freelance personal finance writer who specializes in credit, debt, and practical money-saving tips. He loves stacking savings opportunities to get amazing deals, traveling for free using credit card rewards, and teaching others how to do the same.
Connect with Louis by visiting louisdenicola.com.